January 04, 2013 (Press-News.org) Four veterans were killed and 16 more were injured in a Texas train wreck in November. Veterans and their families were participating in a parade intended to honor wounded veterans for their military service. The flatbed truck upon which they were riding was driven onto a railroad crossing and a fast-moving train crashed into the truck, causing the fatalities and numerous injuries.
Veterans and families bring lawsuit
Two couples on the truck at the time of the accident brought a lawsuit against the railroad company and the company that provided the truck. The lawsuit alleges 28 individual counts of negligence against the railroad company and additional counts on the part of the truck owner.
The truck company is accused of providing a driver who did not keep a proper lookout and failed to exercise due care while driving the truck. During the ensuing investigation, it was found that the truck driver drove the flatbed onto the tracks despite activation of the red flashing lights and warning bells. Witnesses also noted that one of the crossing arms had dropped down and hit the parade float while it was crossing.
Among other issues, the railroad company is accused of failing to:
- Provide a safe crossing area
- Provide reasonable and timely warning of an approaching train
- Slow down or brake before impact with the truck
- Repair hazardous conditions posed by the road grade at the intersection
The Texas Department of Transportation released documents that demonstrated that the crossing's warning system -- the flashing lights and warning bells -- was designed to operate at least 30 seconds before the arrival of a train. On the day of the incident, only 20 seconds elapsed from the time the system was activated to the train's arrival. Although the twenty-second time period meets federal standards, many railroad companies provide longer intervals at crossings.
Victim and survivor rights
The accident highlights just how quickly a fatal accident can happen. When another's negligence causes an injury or fatality, the victim or his or her survivors have a right to pursue legal action for personal injury or wrongful death.
Although nothing can bring the loved one back, a wrongful death lawsuit can provide financial compensation for many of the losses that result from a fatal accident. Survivors can receive compensation for damages including loss of the victim's future income and loss of the victim's care and companionship.
Article provided by Sommerman & Quesada, L.L.P.
Visit us at www.textrial.com
Tragic Train Accident in Texas Kills Wounded Veterans in Parade
A flatbed truck carrying wounded veterans and their families in a parade in Texas drove onto railroad tracks as a fast train approached, killing four people and injuring 16 others.
2013-01-04
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
What Happens When the SSA Reviews Disability?
2013-01-04
After the Social Security Administration awards disability benefits to a person, the SSA periodically reviews the recipient's medical condition to see whether he or she still meets the SSA's definition of disabled and qualifies for benefits. People should be aware of what occurs during a disability review and how it could impact their benefits.
How often does the SSA review disability?
When the SSA makes an initial disability benefit award, it places the benefit recipient in one of three categories for review, based on the severity of the recipient's condition:
- ...
Raising Your Credit: A Financial Plan After Bankruptcy
2013-01-04
If you file for bankruptcy, this financial event can remain on your credit report for approximately 10 years. The process will create a dip in your credit score, making it difficult to secure loans for big-ticket items such as a home or car. Furthermore, if you do obtain a loan, the interest rate could be significant.
The good news is that you can take strategic steps to raise your credit score after bankruptcy. Working your way through the process will increase the likelihood of obtaining big loans within just a couple of years. Creditors know that a recent bankruptcy ...
Sex Discrimination in the Executive Workplace
2013-01-04
Sex discrimination can happen to anyone and can happen anywhere, including at high executive levels and in professions requiring substantial education.
A real life example
One real life example comes from a lawsuit recently filed alleging sex discrimination. The plaintiff is a woman who began working for a well-known venture capital firm in the mid-2000s. The woman has degrees in engineering, law and business and claimed to be a perfect fit for the firm. A year or so after working as a junior partner, she had an intimate relationship with a colleague. When she ended ...
Federal Government Proposes New Student Loan Repayment Plan
2013-01-04
These days, it is nearly impossible to leave college without having taken out some student loans. Unfortunately, given the job market, finding a job to pay back those loans can seem like an equally daunting task.
The federal government is considering a change to the student loan repayment system, hoping that the move could reduce default rates while improving fairness in the system. The proposal, which is modeled after the loan repayment system in the United Kingdom, would make automatic withdrawals from borrowers' paychecks. Loan payments would be tied to borrowers' ...
Changes to Wisconsin's Impaired Driving Law Needed to Address 'Huffing'
2013-01-04
In Wisconsin, patrolling officers have seen a sharp increase in the number of people "huffing" and driving. Huffing involves the inhaling of hazardous contents of a spray can to get high. While the law is still evolving to include this practice in standardized vehicle codes, to date, huffing can be a form of reckless driving, which endangers other motorists on the road.
Huffing and car accident cases
In recent months, Oshkosh Police responded to two traffic crashes involving drivers suspected of huffing hazardous substances.
In November 2012, police received ...
Data Shows Lax Enforcement of Georgia Texting While Driving Law
2013-01-04
Texting while driving is against the law in Georgia. However, according to data published recently in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the prohibition may not be doing much to keep motorists safe. This is because law enforcement officials rarely punish drivers for violating the anti-texting law.
The law went into effect on July 1, 2010. Since then, data from the Department of Driver Services shows that only 1,281 drivers have been convicted of texting while driving -- an average of less than 50 per month. The State Patrol says that its troopers only cite an average ...
Foreclosures Remain High in New Jersey
2013-01-04
Most of the country recently experienced a reprieve from the foreclosure epidemic plaguing the nation - unfortunately New Jersey was not included in this reprieve.
While the nation as a whole enjoyed a 17 percent drop in the number of homes foreclosed upon - when compared to last year - New Jersey suffered an increase of more than one percent in foreclosed homes, according to a monthly report from CoreLogic.
In addition, the same report shows that New Jersey ranks second in the nation in the percentage of homes in foreclosure - 7.7 percent in the process of defaulting, ...
Attend the Battle of Cowpens Anniversary Celebration and Stay at Nearby Hampton Inn Gaffney Hotel
2013-01-04
Hampton Inn Gaffney South Carolina Hotel offers convenient lodging to guests attending the Battle of Cowpens 232nd Anniversary Celebration. Taking place at Cowpens National Battlefield, SC on January 19-20, 2013, the celebration will include two days of special talks, guided battlefield walks, weapons firing, calvary, and domestic skills demonstration. All activities are FREE! Visit www.nps.gov/cowp/specialevents.htm for more information.
Special presentations and featured authors will include:
- Dr. Melissa Walker, Converse College, author of The Battles of Kings ...
New Health/Fitness Book Says a Personal Plan is the Key to Weight Loss Success
2013-01-04
"It isn't that diets don't help you lose weight," says Dr. Stan Spencer, author of a new book, The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss (Fine Life Books: 1/1/2013). "The problem is that as soon as you quit the diet, the weight returns."
"Think of excess fat as a collection of bad habits," he says. "Lose the habits and you will lose the fat. Each time you give up one of these bad habits (all other things being equal), you will lose fat until your body naturally settles at a lower weight." Dr. Spencer says the key to successfully ...
DT Plumbing & Heating Launches Homeowner Checklist for Winter Plumbing Problems
2013-01-04
After 10 years in service, DT Plumbing & Heating (www.dtplumbingandheating.co.uk) have put down a list of common plumbing problems in London. Protecting the home during the winter time is important because even small leaks can cause major issues and result in expensive repair costs.
To be out well in advance can often help minimize costs and even reduce running costs. Below are some suggestions from DT Plumbing and Heating.
To start with it's important to always insulate cold water pipes under the bath to avoid condensation and drips onto the floor. Call a certified ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Scientists unlock secrets behind flowering of the king of fruits
Texas A&M researchers illuminate the mysteries of icy ocean worlds
Prosthetic material could help reduce infections from intravenous catheters
Can the heart heal itself? New study says it can
Microscopic discovery in cancer cells could have a big impact
Rice researchers take ‘significant leap forward’ with quantum simulation of molecular electron transfer
Breakthrough new material brings affordable, sustainable future within grasp
How everyday activities inside your home can generate energy
Inequality weakens local governance and public satisfaction, study finds
Uncovering key molecular factors behind malaria’s deadliest strain
UC Davis researchers help decode the cause of aggressive breast cancer in women of color
Researchers discovered replication hubs for human norovirus
SNU researchers develop the world’s most sensitive flexible strain sensor
Tiny, wireless antennas use light to monitor cellular communication
Neutrality has played a pivotal, but under-examined, role in international relations, new research shows
Study reveals right whales live 130 years — or more
Researchers reveal how human eyelashes promote water drainage
Pollinators most vulnerable to rising global temperatures are flies, study shows
DFG to fund eight new research units
Modern AI systems have achieved Turing's vision, but not exactly how he hoped
Quantum walk computing unlocks new potential in quantum science and technology
Construction materials and household items are a part of a long-term carbon sink called the “technosphere”
First demonstration of quantum teleportation over busy Internet cables
Disparities and gaps in breast cancer screening for women ages 40 to 49
US tobacco 21 policies and potential mortality reductions by state
AI-driven approach reveals hidden hazards of chemical mixtures in rivers
Older age linked to increased complications after breast reconstruction
ESA and NASA satellites deliver first joint picture of Greenland Ice Sheet melting
Early detection model for pancreatic necrosis improves patient outcomes
Poor vascular health accelerates brain ageing
[Press-News.org] Tragic Train Accident in Texas Kills Wounded Veterans in ParadeA flatbed truck carrying wounded veterans and their families in a parade in Texas drove onto railroad tracks as a fast train approached, killing four people and injuring 16 others.